Beginning in 1963, the name Kosmos was given to Soviet spacecraft which remained in Earth orbit, regardless of whether that was their intended final destination. This was the first mission to get that designation.

Typically Soviet planetary missions were initially put into an Earth parking orbit as a launch platform with a rocket engine and attached probe.

If the engine misfired or the burn was not completed, the probes would be left in Earth orbit and given a Kosmos designation.